The story
Abu Simbel Sun Festival in Abu Simbel
Twice yearly, on 22 February and 22 October, dawn light travels sixty-five metres into Abu Simbel's Great Temple to illuminate three inner-sanctuary statues, Ramesses II, Ra-Horakhty and Amun, leaving Ptah, god of darkness, in shadow. Engineered by ancient architects roughly thirty-three centuries ago, the alignment shifted slightly after the temple's 1960s relocation ahead of the Aswan High Dam.
Twice a year, at dawn on 22 February and 22 October, sunlight travels sixty-five metres into the inner sanctuary of the Great Temple of Abu Simbel and illuminates the faces of three seated statues, Ramesses II, the sun god Ra-Horakhty and the god Amun, while the fourth figure, Ptah, god of darkness, remains in shadow.